REALITY SHOW STAR
John Michael Osbourne was the fourth of six children. Growing up in Aston, Birmingham, in central England, he struggled with dyslexia, left school at age 15, did a series of menial jobs, and at one point served a brief prison sentence for burglary. Then came Black Sabbath.
“When I was growing up, if you’d have put me up against a wall with the other kids from my street and asked me which one of us was gonna make it to the age of 60, with five kids and four grandkids and houses in Buckinghamshire and California, I wouldn’t have put money on me, no way,” he once said.
Britain’s Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, a member of parliament representing a Birmingham constituency, wrote on X that she was devastated to hear the news of his death.
“One of the greatest gifts my city gave the world,” Mahmood said.
In 2002, Osbourne won legions of new fans when he starred in US reality TV show The Osbournes.
Cameras followed the aging rock god ambling round his huge house in Beverly Hills, pronouncing on events in his heavy Birmingham accent and looking on bemused at the antics of his family.
Osbourne’s family included wife and manager Sharon, five children including Jack, Kelly and Aimee, and several grandchildren.
No cause of death was given, but Osbourne revealed in 2020 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The illness made him unable to walk.
In his final concert on Jul 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, Osbourne performed sitting, at times appearing to have difficulties speaking as he thanked thousands of adoring fans, some of whom were visibly emotional.
He was joined by original bandmates Butler, Tony Iommi, and Bill Ward for the concert, dubbed Back to the Beginning – their first gig together in 20 years.
Osbourne’s performance followed a number of tributes on stage and on stadium screens from rock and pop royalty including Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, Metallica’s James Hetfield and Elton John.
“Thanks for your support over the years. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you,” said Osbourne.
